Overheard
by Marie-Caroline
Summary: While perusing old photographs, Minerva McGonagall remembers an evening during which she'd patrolled the corridors and overheard Andromeda Black fighting with Lucius Malfoy…  Challenge


**A/N : **This is my answer to the "the List Challenge" by WhiteFerrets. She gave me the following prompts – those in italics are the ones I managed to integrate in my story (I tried to use as many as possible).

**Characters : **Rubeus Hagrid, Alice Longbottom, Pansy Parkinson, _Minerva McGonagall, Andromeda Black/Tonks_

**Quotes :**

"Shush. Mistress [full name] is matchmaking."

_"You're an arrogant git, and no, that statement is not up for debate."_

_"Curiosity killed the cat." ~ "And satisfaction brought it back, so tell me!"_

_"Duck!"_

_"Don't be afraid. I'm as innocent as a kitten, I swear."_

**Items : **_Book, Bookcase, Tissue _(I used handkerchief instead, I hope it's ok ^^),_ Old Photograph_

**Overheard**

While perusing old photographs, Minerva McGonagall remembers an evening during which she'd patrolled the corridors and overheard Andromeda Black fighting with Lucius Malfoy…

It was a cozy December evening and Minerva McGonagall was sitting in her living room, sipping some hot tea, and looking at old photographs of some of her former students. She came across one showing Andromeda Tonks, or Andromeda Black as she was know back then, with her sisters Narcissa and Bellatrix, as well as Rodolphus Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy. She shuddered involuntarily as she saw the four death eaters and, as she glanced over at young Andromeda's face, she suddenly remembered a conversation she had overheard once, many years ago.

* * *

"I _saw_ you with that, that Anne! Do not tell me otherwise!" Andromeda's voice was barely above a whisper, but that didn't stop her from sounding very fierce. "I swear Malfoy, if I _ever_ see you with someone other than my sister, I'm going to tell her, and trust me, you do _not_ want to be on the receiving end of whatever curse she throws at you!"

Minerva McGonagall froze outside the classroom which she had thought empty, until she heard the voices of two of her students.

"Don't be afraid. I'm as innocent as a kitten, I swear." Minerva heard Malfoy say in his defense – she sniffed.

"As innocent as a kitten? Really?" she thought disdainfully "He could come up with something better to say." However her curiosity had been piqued and she neared the slightly open door after casting a disillusionment charm on herself, to be able to listen in. "Oh dear Minnie, you know you shouldn't be eavesdropping on your students, curiosity killed the cat after all." She had to repress a laugh at that thought. "And I know satisfaction brought it back, but still…" She gave up on the internal argument and decided to listen to young Andromeda and Lucius instead of her conscience.

"As innocent as kitten? Are you _kidding_ me?" unable to restrain herself any longer Andromeda's voice rose to a high pitched shriek. "The fact is you're an arrogant git, and no, that statement is not up for debate." She said, back to a whisper. "I swear, if Cissy didn't like you so much I'd be running off to tell her straight away what a slimy _idiot_ you are!"

"Calm down Black, there's no reason to run to you sister, I didn't do anything!" Malfoy replied in a, what he hoped, was a casual tone.

"_Didn't do anything?"_ hissed Andromeda. "Sure, sticking your tongue down Anna's throat was nothing!"

Minerva was by now thoroughly enjoying herself, she didn't like Lucius Malfoy much, and by the looks of it, Andromeda didn't either, if her clenched fists and trembling body were of any indication.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Malfoy replied as coolly as he could manage – making a mental note to never enrage any of the Black women if he could help it, they were _fierce_!

"Don't know what I'm talking about? Let me laugh!" Andromeda's voice had reached ultrasonic peaks once more. "Why don't I make myself clearer? You know what? If I were you, I'd duck!" She reached for the nearest bookcase and started throwing books at Lucius, who, avoiding them as best he could, ran out of the classroom, missing professor McGonagall by inches.

The classroom was silent now, except for Andromeda's slight pants and the sound of pages falling onto the ground.

Minerva on the other hand was laughing as silently as she could manage, wiping tears away with one of her tartan handkerchiefs.

* * *

Smiling, Minerva put down her cup of tea and closed up her photo album. "You can say what you want," she told herself "but there's no denying you miss Hogwarts."

* * *

A/N : Feel free to review!

**/!\ IMPORTANT /!\**

** I'm going to be away from until my coming year at university is over (May 2011) but I WILL then answer all reviews/messages I will have received in the meantime, so if I don't answer any of you guys, no, I'm not dead, just drowning in my physics/chemistry/cellular biology/anatomy/psychology or whatever it is I'm studying right now...**

**Thanks to all of those who reviewed and/or faved this story, I really, really appreciate it :)  
**

**See you soon! **

**Marie-Caroline**


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